At the Foundation’s quarterly Grants Committee meeting Miriam Davidow, committee chair, confirmed that this year’s Genesis Fund grants would focus on compelling needs in the community. Davidow stated, “Looking at needs expressed by the community, the Grants Committee determined that our Jewish agencies and synagogues would be best served through a funding stream that would provide for compelling needs. We look forward to reviewing this year’s proposals.”

Applications will be forwarded to eligible community partners in January and awarded during the spring.

The Genesis Fund, the Foundation’s unrestricted pool, is a communal source for research, development and special projects funding, providing support to a wide variety of communal projects. In 1993, Neil November (OBM) wrote, “I believe the Genesis Fund should be developed so the Jewish community of Richmond will always have a reserve to meet the future local and international crises…Sara Belle and I are pleased to be in a position to help our people for generations into the future.”

Since 2005, $500,000 in Genesis Fund grants have been awarded to the community to support dozens of projects.

Examples of some of the competitive committee-reviewed grant process, approved by the RJF Board are:

• 2017 Safety and Security grants to the community for capital needs,
• 2016 Safety and Security grants to the community for various projects,
• Jewish Community Federation of Richmond for the 2017 Community Study,
• Congregation Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives to collect and record an on-line database about Jewish cemeteries in Richmond and the surrounding areas,
• Jewish Community Federation of Richmond and partners for Operation Promise for education and acculturation of new Israelis from Ethiopia,
• Jewish Community Federation of Richmond to support the PJ Library program,
• Jewish Family Services to provide services focused on the independence of senior new Americans,
• Aleph-Bet Preschool for an Early Childhood Hebrew Development program,
• Weinstein JCC to host the Maccabi Games,
• Weinstein JCC for its 50th Anniversary celebration,
• Yeshiva of Virginia Free Loan Fund at Rudlin Torah Academy,
• Congregation Beth Ahabah’s Jewish Film Festival,
• Virginia Holocaust Museum’s Distance Learning project,
• Temple Beth-El Teens Aiding Students toward Education,
• Beth Sholom Senior Exercise Program
• JFS and the University of Richmond Hillel for Operation Exodus: The Story of Russian Jewish Resettlement in Richmond,
• VHM and the Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery for the A Million is One project,
• Chabad’s Friendship Circle of Virginia’s project,
• JFS and Congregation Beth Ahabah’sKIRVA project,
• Weinstein JCC’s REELAbilities Film Festival.

To learn more about how to participate in these community programs, please contact the agency or synagogue delivering the services and to learn more about how to financially support the Richmond Jewish Foundation Genesis Fund, contact us at RJF.